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Back to ‘dhando’: Gujarat’s business is business and Ambani always scores over Rupani 😜

During the recent Gujarat election campaign BJP President Amit Shah said Rahul Gandhi must take off his Italian glasses to properly see Gujarat’s development. But in Ahmedabad’s Manek Chowk, chocolate pizza is Gujarat’s only Italian connection. Rahul Gandhi has a Gujarati connection too. His grandfather Feroze Gandhi’s family roots lie in the south Gujarat city of Bharuch, famous for its spicy peanuts. But then politics has always been peanuts for Gujaratis for whom the pursuit of taste is more important than the pursuit of power and ‘jamavanu’ or the act of eating is elevated to a fine art. Many Gujaratis live by the motto, “Surat nu jaman ane Kashi nu maran,” meaning eternal bliss is guaranteed if you eat in Surat and then die in Varanasi. That’s the mantra to becoming the king of Gujju times.

Now that the elections are over, the Gujarati can return to his favourite pastime of dhando or business. PM Modi may be Gujarat’s son of the soil neta but politics is not the main course in the Gujarati thali. As has been said, the 3 Ds, namely dhando, dandiya and dhokla are supposed to be the constant companions of the Gujarati who is also among India’s most intrepid travellers. The travelling Gujarati may journey far and wide but is never separated from her thepla. Nor is the Gujarati attachment to dhokla simply khokla, instead it’s about deep ties to traditions.

In Gujarat, it really doesn’t matter whether Vijay Rupani wins from Rajkot or not as long as everyone accepts the winning flavours of undhiu (vegetable curry) or the share price of Reliance keeps rising. Election analysts may ponder on voting patterns but for Gujaratis, it’s always Ambani over Rupani as market shares matter more than vote shares. In states like Bihar and UP, netas’ natter may echo widely but in Gujarat they hardly matter. Pollsters may track BJP vs Congress but the Gujarati is busy tracking the dead heat between Mumbai bhel vs Gujarati locha. Since GST was in danger of becoming the Gathia Service Tax, the government was forced to ease taxes on khakra (snacks) for fear of being made a sacrificial bakra.

Gujaratis love their ice cream. Apart from the well loved Vadilal’s there’s also paan ice cream made on a tawa and ice cream sandwich. When business is in your blood, even after a hot and fiery election campaign, the Gujarati knows how to keep cool.

DISCLAIMER : This article is intended to bring a smile to your face. Any connection to events and characters in real life is coincidental.

Author

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The Indian Express. She has been a primetime news anchor and at present is Consulting Editor, The Times Of India. She is also a political commentator on the news channel ET Now. Ghose is the author of the recently published best selling biography of Indira Gandhi, "Indira, India's Most Powerful Prime Minister." She is also the author of two novels, both published worldwide.

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The . . .

Author

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The Indian Express. She has been a primetime news anchor and at present is Consulting Editor, The Times Of India. She is also a political commentator on the news channel ET Now. Ghose is the author of the recently published best selling biography of Indira Gandhi, "Indira, India's Most Powerful Prime Minister." She is also the author of two novels, both published worldwide.

Sagarika Ghose has been a journalist for almost three decades, starting her career with The Times of India, subsequently moving to Outlook magazine and The . . .